Combined lamp housing and lens



NOV. 7, 1967 s uBE ETAL 3,351,751

COMBINED LAMP HOUSING AND LENS Filed Jun 21, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTORS FRED. F. STUBE AND EDWARD J. NITSCH 1957 F. F. STUBE ETAL3,351,751

COMBINED LAMP HOUSING AND LENS Filed June 21, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTORS FRED. F. STUBE AND v EDWARD J. NITSC'H Flttlqs.

United States Patent ()1 3,351,751 EOMBINEB LAMP HOUSING AND LENSFrederick E. Stube, Syracuse, and Edward J. Nitsch, Camillus, N.Y.,assignors to R. E. Dietz Company, Syracuse, N.Y., a corporation of NewYork Filed June 21, 1965, Ser. No. 465,605 8 Claims. (Cl. 24010.6)

ABSTRACT (BE THE DISCLGSURE A warning lamp has two oppositely facinglens portions, each portion having rim therearound projecting toward theother lens portion. Each rim is divided symmetrically on either side ofa medial line across the lens into a plurality of alternating inner andouter layer segments. The inner segments having a radially outwardprojecting bead and the outer segments projecting farther than the innersegments and having a groove adapted to overlie the inner segment bead,the segments being so radially disposed as to have an outer segmentoverlying each inner segment of the opposite portion. Each portion has atongue projecting circumferentially past the medial line and adapted tointerlock with the tongue of the other half, and each portion has arounded neck diametrically opposite the tongue and projecting oppositelyto the rim, each neck forming with the neck of the other portion anannular neck adapted to be engaged with a battery case.

This invention relates to warning lenses and more particularly to awarning lens which, when joined together back-to-back with an identicallens, forms a combined twinlens and lamp housing, the combinedlens-housing being further adapted to be secured and locked to a batterycase or other receptacle so as to be releasable therefrom only from theinterior of the receptacle.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a lens for a warninglight having an integral axially projecting rim portion which haslocking means thereon for interengagement with a similar rim portion onan identical lens placed back-to-back therewith to form a protectivehousing for a lamp bulb between the lense A further important object isto provide a support portion on such a lens which, when the lens isengaged with an identical lens, forms with the identical support portionon the other lens a passage to the space between the lenses throughwhich a bulb support for a lamp may pass and which support portion hasmeans for locking the combined lens-housing to a battery case or otherreceptacle A still further object is to provide positive lock means onsuch a lens whereby, when the lens is engaged with an identical lens andthe combined housing and twin-lens assembly is locked to a battery case,the two lenses cannot be disengaged or released from the battery caseexcept from the inside of the case.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a lens according to theinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view thereof in engagement with anidentical lens facing in the opposite direction;

FIGURE 3 is a developed view on a reduced scale of the rim portion ofthe righthand lens of FIG. 2;

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevational view of the lens of FIG. 1;

FIGURES 5 and 6 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views on the lines5-5 and 6--6 of FIG. 4;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the lower portion of FIG. 2,shown locked to the top of a ice battery case, the case and lockingmeans being shown in section.

FIGURE 8 is fragmentary bottom plan view of the parts shown in FIG. 7;and

FIGURES 9, 10 and 11 are plan views of the locking means of FIG. 7.

In the drawings a lens and housing half 10 is shown in FIGURE 1 andshown interengaged with an identical half 10 in FIGURE 2 to form acombined twin-lens and housing. Each half comprises a dished lens faceportion 11 and an axially projecting annular rim 12.

The face portion 11 comprises a light-collimating portion 11a and anannular light reflecting portion 11b, as more fully explained anddescribed in the copending application Ser. No. 414,103 of Robert E.Dawson, filed Nov. 27, 1964.

The rims 12 are equiangularly divided into alternate outer layer arcuatesegments 13 and inner layer arcuate segments 14. The two upper arcuatesegments shown in FIGURE 1 are each one quarter of the rim circumferencelong, i.e.: each arcuate segment of the rim is subtended by an angle ofdegrees. The two lower arcuate segments are somewhat shorter, beingseparated at the bottorn by the support or neck portion 15 of the lenshalf. The division between segments 13 and 14 at the top of the lens isdiametrically opposite the center of the neck portion 15 so that whilethe face portion 11 is symmetrical, the rim 12 is divided symmetricallyon either side of a vertical medial line extending across the face ofthe lens but the rim is not symmetrical, except inversely, since theportions 13 on either side lie opposite the portions 14 on the otherside. When the two halves are interengaged back-to back as shown inFIGURE 2 the arcuately longer upper outer layer segment 13 of one halfoverlies the longer inner layer segment 14 of the other half and thearcuately shorter lower outer layer segment 13 of the one half overliesthe shorter inner layer segment 14 of the other half.

Each inner layer segment 13 is provided with a radially projectingrounded bead 16 therealong best seen in FIG. 6 and, as best seen in FIG.5, each outer layer segment 13 is provided with a corresponding groove17 along its inner surface in which the bead is to be engaged. Beads 16and grooves 17 are centered in a common plane, being shown aligned inFIG. 3. It will be noted, referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, that the rim 12 isprovided with a shoulder 18 along the inner layer segments 14 againstwhich the outer edges 19 of the outer layer segments 13 is engaged whenthe beads 16 are engaged in grooves 17.

When two lens-housing halves 10 are engaged, as shown in FIG. 2, to forma twin-lens and housing 20, the face portions 11a of the two halves havea common axis 21 passing through the lens centers. The lenses face inopposite directions and there is an enclosed space between the lenses inwhich a lamp bulb may be supported. The lens housing halves 10 arepreferably molded of a transparent plastic material so that each lenshalf is identical to the next one formed in the: same mold. This plasticmaterial has considerable elasticity and resilience.

Both the inner layer rim segments 14 and the outer layer rim segments 13extend axially of the lenses but it should be noted that a portion ofthe inner surface of segments 13, from the groove 17 out to the end 19of this portion of the rim is tapered outwardly to provide a cammingportion 22, as best seeen in FIG. 5, whereby the head 16 along the innerlayer segment 14 may be snapped into the groove 17 by reason of theresilience of the material of which the lenses are molded. The outerlayer rim segments 13 are of necessity axially longer than the innerlayer segments 14 so the junction between segments 13 of the rim and thelens portion 11 is thickened at 23 as shown.

The neck portion of each half is semicircular, as best seen in FIGS. 7and 8, so that when the halves are joined they form a hollow completelycircular neck 1515, as shown in FIG. 8. The neck 15-15 has a flange 25providing a fiat surface 26 for supporting the lens-housing on a batterycase 27 or other receptacle, as shown in FIG. 7. A divided annularportion 28 projects downward from the flange through an appropriate hole29 in the top of the battery case.

As best seen in FIG. 1, the neck 15-15 is provided with bayonet slots 30in diametrically opposite sides of the annular portion 28. Slots 30extend from the lower end of the annular neck portion 28 upward a shortdistance and then extend around portion 28 less than a quarter turn, andthen extend back down again short of the bottom end of the neck to forma seat portion 31. Slots 30 are spaced from flange 25 a distanceexceeding the thickness of the top of the battery case 2.7 and aresilient washer 32 around portion 28 is interposed between surface 26and the case 27.

A metal brake washer 33 is placed around neck portion 28 within the case27 and below this a locking washer 34 surrounds the portion 28. Washer34, best seen in FIG. 11, has two radially inward projecting tongues orlugs 35 lying in the slots 30. Two screws 36 threaded throughappropriate diametrically opposite holes in the locking washer extendupward against the brake washer 33 and hold the lugs 35 releaseablylocked against the seats 31 formed in the slots.

Locking washer 34 is also provided with a radially outward projectingstop lug 37. A pendant arcuate rib 38 immediately adjacent the washer 34is provided on the lower surface of the top of battery case 27, asshown, to provide stops at either end which cooperate with the lug 37 tolimit the turning of the lens-housing 20 with respect to the case 27.

A positive lock is provided at the top of the lens-housing 20diametrically opposite the neck 1515 by the interenga-ged tongues 40,best seen in FIG. 3. At the junction between the upper or arcuatelylonger segments 13 and 14 of each lens 10, the outer layer sgement 13has a tongue 40 projecting circumferentially so as to extend past thesimilar tongue 40 of the other lens and to overlie its mating segment 14when the lenses 10, 10, are snapped together. One tongue 40 then liesbehind the other tongue 40, each tongue forming a shoulder 41, the twoshoulders being interengaged. The engagement of the tongues 40, onebehind the other, prevents the separation of the two halves at thisextremity of the lenshousing until the segments 13 and 14 have beenseparated.

In assembling the lens-housing 20, the tongues 40 of the two lenses 10,10, are first engaged by rotating one lens with respect to the other,The two lenses are then brought into registry with the segments 13 ofeach lens opposite the segments 14 of the other lens, and the neckportions 15 of the two lenses are then forced together. Each segment 13is thereby forced over its cooperating segment 14 of the other lens, theportion 22 of the rim forcing a slight bending apart of the matingsegments until the beads 16 snap into the grooves 17 0f the matingsegments.

In assembling the lens-housing 20 to case 27, the resilient washer 32 isfirst placed around the annular portion 28 of the neck and the portion28 is inserted through the hole 29 in the top of the case. Brake washer33 and then lockin-g washer 34 are placed around the portion 28 of theneck inside the case 27, tongues 35 being inserted in the ends of slots30. The tongues are then pushed down into the grooves and the washer 34rotated with respect to the neck 1515 until the tongues 35 overlie theseats 31 of the slots. Screws 36 are then screwed against the brakewasher 33 forcing the washer 34 away from washer 33 thereby forcingtongues 35 against the seats 31.

Washer 34 now being locked to the neck 1515, the lens-housing 20 isthereby locked to the case 27 but, al-

though braked by screws 36 engaged against washer 33, the lens-housingcan be turned from one side to the other with respect to the case untilthe stop tongue 37 engages one end or the other of the rib 38. It willbe noted that the rib is of such arcuate length as to limit this turningto about To disassemble the light, screws 36 are first loosened, washer34 then rotated with respect to the neck 1515, and the tongues 35withdrawn from the slots 30. All three washers can then be removed andneck 15-15 withdrawn from the hole 29.

The two halves 10 then can be easily separated by pulling apart the neckportions 15. Since beads 16 and grooves 17 are rounded they may beforced out of engagement and, the separation being first at the neckportions, a prying action results which flexes the interlocked rimsegments successively rather than simultaneously.

To those familiar with the art, it will be understood that the batterycase 27 is conventionally provided with a bottom cover or base which canbe fastened to a barricade, and a locking device is provided for lockingthis base to the case 27. A bulb support and a flasher device, as wellas batteries, are secured in the case, the bulb support including a longstemmed socket extending through neck 1515 for securing the bulb or lampbetween the lenses and axially thereof. By locking the lenshousing tothe case 27 by means of the screws 36, which are accessible only fromwithin the case, therefore, all the parts are secured by locking thecase and its base together. Since warning lights are frequently leftuntended on barriers, etc., this locking of the parts together helps toprevent pilfering as well as preventing accidental separation of theparts.

As will be apparent to those familiar with the art, the invention may beembodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit oressential characteristics thereof. The embodiment disclosed is thereforeto be considered in all respects as illustrative rather thanrestrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. A combined lamp housing and lens consisting of two identicaloppositely facing halves of translucent material, each half comprising asymmetrical lens face portion having a central lens axis and a rimaround the face portion projecting axially toward the face portion ofthe other half, the rim of each half being divided symmetrically oneither side of a medial line extending across the face portion intoalternate inner layer segments and outer layer segments, the inner layersegments on each side of the line being disposed opposite the outerlayer segments of the other side of the line, each outer layer segmentoverlying and engaging with a cooperating inner layer segment of theother half when one half is turned about the line and forcedback-to-back against the other half with the medial lines parallel, abead along the outer surface of each inner layer segment and acooperating groove along the inner surface of each outer layer segment,the grooves of the outer layer segments being adapted to overlie andcontain the beads of the inner layer segments when the halves are forcedtogether, whereby the halves are locked together.

2. A combined lamp housing and lens consisting of two identicaloppositely facing interlocked halves of resilient translucent material,each half comprising a symmetrical lens face portion having a centralaxis and a rim around the outer edge of the face portion projectingaxially toward the face portion of the other half, the rim of each halfbeing divided symmetrically on either side of a medial line extendingacross the face portion into a plurality of inner layer segments andouter layer segments, the inner layer segments alternating with outerlayer segments around the rim, each inner layer segment having a beadalong its outer surface and each outer layer segment having acooperating groove along its inner surface, the

outer layer segments projecting axially farther than the rim layersegments and being adapted to overlie corresponding inner layer segmentsof the other half when the halves face in opposite directions and areforced together back-to-back, the grooves of one half being adapted tooverlie and engage the beads on the other half.

3. A combined lamp housing and lens consisting of two identicaloppositely facing interengaged halves of resilient translucent material,each half comprising a circular lens face portion having a central axisand an annular rim around the face portion projecting axially toward theface portion of the other half, the rims providing an enclosed spacebetween the halves when the halves are inter engaged, the rim of eachhalf being divided symmetrically on either side of a medial lineextending across the face portion into a plurality of inner layerarcuate segments and outer layer arcuate segments, the inner layersegments alternating with the outer layer segments in circumferentialorder around the rim, the outer layer segments being axially longer thanthe inner layer segments and adapted to overlie the inner layer segmentsof the other half when the halves are interengaged, each inner layersegment having a radially outward projecting rounded bead extendingcircumferentially along its axial end, each outer layer segment having acooperating groove in its radially inner surface overlying and engagingthe beads of the other half when the halves are interengaged, each halfhaving a neck portion projecting axially opposite to the rim andprojecting radially along its medial line, the neck portions providing apassage to the space between halves when the halves are interengaged.

4. The combined lamp housing and lens defined in claim 3 in combinationwith a battery case having a hole in the top thereof, the neck portionsof the interengaged halves forming an annular portion projecting throughthe case hole and having a flange supported on the case top, the annularportion having bayonet slots in diametrically opposite sides thereof,the slots extending upward from the annular portion and thence partiallyaround the annular portion and thence down again toward the end to forma seat in the slot, a washer around the annular portion within the case,the washer having radially inward projecting tongues lying in the slots,and screw means threaded in the washer and operative by being advancedtoward the case top for forcing the tongues against the slot seats.

5. The combined lamp housing and lens defined in claim 3, characterizedby each half having a tongue projecting circumferentially past themedial line from that portion of the outer layer segment diametricallyopposite the neck portion which is adapted to overlie the interengagedinner layer segment of the other half, whereby the tongues of theinterengaged halves normally prevent separation of the halves at theside opposite the neck portions.

6. A lens for combined twin-lens lamp housing and lens means ofresilient translucent material, comprising a dished circular lens faceportion having a central lens axis and an integral axially projectingannular rim, the rim being divided symmetrically on either side of. amedial line extending across the face portion into a plurality ofalternately disposed inner and outer layer arcuate segments, the innerlayer segments having portions along their axially outer ends bearing aradially outwardly projecting rounded bead therealong, the outer layersegments being axially longer than the inner layer segments and havingportions along their axial ends whose inner surface radii aresubstantially equal to the radii of the outer surfaces of the innerlayer portions, the outer layer portions having grooves along theirinner surfaces centered in a common plane with the inner layer beadcenters, the rim including a semicircular neck portion projectingradially therefrom along the medial line of symmetry and projectingaxially opposite to the inner and outer layer segments; the neck portionforming, with the neck portion of an identical lens facing in theopposite direction with beads and groves interengaged, an annular neckprovidin a passage to the space between the lens face portions of thetwo lenses.

'3'. The lens defined in claim 6 having a tongue projectingcircumferentially of the lens past the medial line from that end of theouter layer segment diametrically opposite the neck portion, the tongueextending axially beyond the adjacent inner layer segment, whereby thelens, when snapped together with an identical lens facing in theopposite direction with beads and grooves interengaged, can only bedisengaged by pulling the lenses apart at the neck portions side.

8. A warning light including a hollow battery case having a circularorifice in the top thereof; a lamp; a combined lamp housing and twinlenses assembly consisting of two identical oppositely facinginterengaged halves, each half comprising a circular outwardly dishedlens face portion having a central lens axis, an axially projectingannular rim encircling the face portion, the rim being dividedsymmetrically on either side of a medial line across the face portioninto a plurality of arcuate segments removably interengaged withcooperating segments of the other half, the two halves enclosing a spacetherebetween, the rim of each half including a semicircular neck portionforming with the neck portion of the other half a hollow neck throughwhich the lamp is supported in said space, the neck having a flangetherearound supported on the case top and having an annular portionbelow the flange projecting through the case top orifice, the annularportion having diametrically opposite bayonet grooves therein extendingfrom the lower end of the annular portion upward and thencecircumferentially and thence downward to a seat in the annular portion;a brake washer around the neck annular portion within the case; a lockwasher around the annular portion below the brake washer, the lockwasher having radially inward projecting lugs lying in the bayonetslots, and screw means threaded in the lock washer and bearing againstthe brake Washer for removably securing the lugs engaged in the grooveseats; the lock washer having a radially outward projecting lug and thecase having formed therein stop means adjacent the lock washer, the stopmeans being engageable by the outwardly projecting lug, whereby thecombined lamp housing and twin lens assembly can be turned with respectto the case from side to side within limits established by said stopmeans.

References tIited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,719,908 10/ 1955 Morrison240l00 X 2,812,423 11/1957 Penna 2408.18 2,903,570 9/1959 Worden 2401OOX 3,099,405 7/1963 Husby et al. 240-400 X 3,246,136 4/1966 Cheng240-8.22

FOREIGN PATENTS 960,996 6/ 1964 Great Britain.

NORTON ANSI-1BR, Primary Examiner.

DAVID L. JACOBSON, Assistant Examiner,

1. A COMBINED LAMP HOUSING AND LENS CONSISTING OF TWO IDENTICALOPPOSITELY FACING HALVES OF TRANSLUCENT MATERIAL, EACH HALF COMPRISING ASYMMETRICAL LENS FACE PORTION HAVING A CENTRAL LENS AXIS AND A RIMAROUND THE FACE PORTION PROJECTING AXIALLY TOWARD THE FACE PORTION OFTHE OTHER HALF, THE RIM OF EACH HALF BEING DIVIDED SYMMETRICALLY ONEITHER SIDE OF A MEDIAL LINE EXTENDING ACROSS THE FACE PORTION INTOALTERNATE INNER LAYER SEGMENTS AND OUTER LAYER SEGMENTS, THE INNER LAYERSEGMENTS ON EACH SIDE OF THE LINE BEING DISPOSED OPPOSITE THE OUTERLAYER SEGMENTS OF THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LINE, EACH OUTER LAYER SEGMENTOVERLYING AND ENGAGING WITH A COOPERATING INNER LAYER SEGMENT OF THEOTHER HALF WHEN ONE HALF IS TURNED ABOUT THE LINE AND FORCEDBACK-TO-BACK AGAINST THE OTHER HALF WITH THE MEDIAL LINES PARALLEL, ABEAD ALONG THE OUTER SURFACE OF EACH INNER LAYER SEGMENT AND ACOOPERATING GROOVE ALONG THE INNER SURFACE OF EACH OUTER LAYER SEGMENT,THE GROOVES OF THE OUTER LAYER SEGMENTS BEING ADAPTED TO OVERLIE ANDCONTAIN THE BEADS OF THE INNER LAYER SEGMENTS WHEN THE HALVES ARE FORCEDTOGETHER, WHEREBY THE HALVES ARE LOCKED TOGETHER.